Total Quality Management Practices And Service Delivery Of Kenya Ports Authority

ABSTRACT

Total quality management requires that all members of the company play a part in adding value in processes, products, services and culture in which they work. This can be attained by combining all quality-related functions and processes throughout the organization. TQM focuses on the overall quality aspects employed by an organization including managing quality design and development, quality control and maintenance, quality improvement and quality assurance. The specific objectives of the study included;to establish the effects of continuous improvement, employee empowerment, top management commitment to quality and customer orientation on service delivery at KPA. The study was based on McGregor‟s theory, Goal setting theory and Deming‟s Total Quality Management Model. The study used descriptive research. The target population was the staff from the customer relations, administration, operations and human resources departments at the KPA head offices who total to 420. The study usedstratified random sampling in choosing 84respondents from the target population. The study data was primary in nature collected using semi-structured questionnaires, whichwas analyzed descriptively using SPSS and the results presented in form of charts and tables for interpretation. The findings of the study would provide the management Kenya Ports Authority with better insights on the effects of Total Quality Management on performance of organizations within the Marine sector in Kenya and facilitate the development of strategies to enhance the KPS‟s ability to maximize benefits of TQM principles. The study found out that coefficient of correlation R was 0.889an indication of strong positive correlation with the variables. The found out that customer orientationinfluenced implementation of performance of KPA. Continuous improvement influenced implementation of performance of KPA. Top management commitment to quality influenced implementation of performance of KPA. Employee empowerment influenced implementation of performance of KPA. The study concludes that Employee empowerment and continuous improvement was employed at KPA was supported in KPA. Systems approach to quality management was embraced at KPA, mutual benefit of suppliers and TQM was highly valued. System approach and continuous improvement was effectively being used in the organization. KPA was subscribed to quality award systems. KPA trained their new employee on the job they were working on. The operation management were careful in service deliverly to eradicate risks that might cause them loss in the long run.There was a relationship between the concept of quality management and customer satisfaction. top management received customer complaintsan indication that KPA top management level had a good public relation with clients.The study recommends that employee empowerment and continuous improvement ought to be employed at KPA. Systems approach to quality management ought to be embraced at KPA, mutual benefit of suppliers and TQM ought to be highly utilized by KPA. Top management support ought to be effectively used in the organization. System approach and continuous improvement ought to be effectively used in the organization. The operations management team ought to be keen in service delivery and settle for perfection, thus only a few percentage of the work done ought to be reworked. Top management ought to receive customer complaintsfor a better public relation with clients.